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	<title>The Japan Times &#187; Melinda Joe</title>
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	<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp</link>
	<description>News on Japan, Business News, Opinion, Sports, Entertainment and More</description>
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		<title>Tasting Kirin&#8217;s beer of many colors</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/09/12/food/tasting-kirins-beer-of-many-colors/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=tasting-kirins-beer-of-many-colors</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/09/12/food/tasting-kirins-beer-of-many-colors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2013 13:55:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=454249</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Morbid curiosity had prompted me to order a Two-Tone beer cocktail at the branch of Kirin Ichiban Shibori Garden in Tokyo&#8217;s Akasaka district. I had read, with no small measure of disbelief, that Tokyo&#8217;s latest summer beer fad was lager mixed with fruit juice or sweet syrup, and I had to see it with my [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Tokyo chef who likes a good breakdown</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/08/29/food/tokyo-chef-who-likes-a-good-breakdown/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=tokyo-chef-who-likes-a-good-breakdown</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/08/29/food/tokyo-chef-who-likes-a-good-breakdown/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:00:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japanese cuisine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nobuaki Fushiki]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=435298</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Kamose, a private cooking studio run by fermentation specialist Nobuaki Fushiki, is hidden among the backstreets of Tokyo&#8217;s Gakugei Daigaku district. Fushiki&#8217;s special dinner events, which feature an array of fermented ingredients, have a clandestine quality that brings to mind the speakeasies of the Prohibition era. Entering through the back of the residential building that [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Supporting Tohoku one glass at a time</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/08/08/food/supporting-tohoku-one-glass-at-a-time/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=supporting-tohoku-one-glass-at-a-time</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/08/08/food/supporting-tohoku-one-glass-at-a-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Aug 2013 13:58:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Great East Japan Earthquake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese drinks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tohoku]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=425898</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On a Saturday evening in late July, Wine Aid for East Japan began, appropriately, with a toast. Now in its third year, the event, organized by professionals in the wine industry to raise money for charities in the Tohoku region, featured over 100 premium wines and a buffet showcasing ingredients from northeastern Japan. The opening [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Japan&#8217;s new generation of bartenders</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/07/11/food/japans-new-generation-of-bartenders/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=japans-new-generation-of-bartenders</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/07/11/food/japans-new-generation-of-bartenders/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jul 2013 14:10:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Under his fitted black vest, the man beside me on the train wore a white shirt, with long lapels and cuffs trimmed with black piping. A purple silk cravat billowed beneath his chin. Judging from his attire, I&#8217;d surmised (correctly) that we were both headed to the same place: the Diageo World Class Japan Final [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hard-won battles produce great wine grapes</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/06/14/food/hard-won-battles-produce-great-wine-grapes/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=hard-won-battles-produce-great-wine-grapes</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/06/14/food/hard-won-battles-produce-great-wine-grapes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:05:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japanese drinks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winemaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=381913</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On an overcast morning high in the hills of the Priorat region in northern Spain, I found myself faced with a dilemma: I had to decide which shoots to prune from the gnarled arms of a 60-year-old Garnacha grape vine. It was mid-May, and several young grape clusters &#8212; tiny, green beads that fitted neatly [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Book finds lessons in Japanese cuisine</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/06/14/food/book-finds-lessons-in-japanese-cuisine/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=book-finds-lessons-in-japanese-cuisine</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/06/14/food/book-finds-lessons-in-japanese-cuisine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:04:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japanese cuisine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Booth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=381923</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2008, British food writer Michael Booth embarked on a journey deep into the heart of Japanese food culture. The outcome of his three-month sojourn, a memoir titled &#8220;Sushi &#38; Beyond,&#8221; follows Booth and his young family from Hokkaido to Kyushu as they seek out gastronomic experiences that range from the sublime (dinner at Mibu, [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why it matters where our food comes from</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/05/31/food/why-it-matters-where-our-food-comes-from/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=why-it-matters-where-our-food-comes-from</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/05/31/food/why-it-matters-where-our-food-comes-from/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 May 2013 15:02:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese cuisine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelin Guide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nancy Singleton Hachisu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoshihiro Narisawa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=373884</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The latest trend in fine dining has nothing to do with molecular gastronomy or pan-Latin fusion: Sustainability is the new order of the day. At the influential World&#8217;s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in London last month, the organizers presented their first Sustainable Restaurant Award to Narisawa, helmed by Tokyo chef Yoshihiro Narisawa. &#8220;In the [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>You don&#8217;t need to be a pro to enjoy tasting and pairing sake</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/05/10/food/you-dont-need-to-be-a-pro-to-enjoy-tasting-and-pairing-sake/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=you-dont-need-to-be-a-pro-to-enjoy-tasting-and-pairing-sake</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/05/10/food/you-dont-need-to-be-a-pro-to-enjoy-tasting-and-pairing-sake/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 15:06:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japanese drinks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kaoru Izuha]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=360388</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For those new to sake, learning to distinguish the subtle nuances in the flavor of various brews can feel like a daunting task. When evaluating sake, professionals consider the balance of sweetness and acidity, the body and the finish, in addition to the drink&#8217;s specific aromas and flavors. Having judged sake at the International Wine [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/05/10/food/you-dont-need-to-be-a-pro-to-enjoy-tasting-and-pairing-sake/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cocktails with a fresh twist (literally)</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/04/12/food/cocktails-with-a-twist-of-freshness/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=cocktails-with-a-twist-of-freshness</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/04/12/food/cocktails-with-a-twist-of-freshness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:01:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gen Yamamoto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese drinks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo bars]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=346765</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dressed in a crisp white jacket, white shirt and black tie, bartender Gen Yamamoto looks as though he has just emerged from a casino in a James Bond film. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/04/12/food/cocktails-with-a-twist-of-freshness/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dine with a backdrop of cherry blossom</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/29/food/dine-with-a-backdrop-of-cherry-blossom/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=dine-with-a-backdrop-of-cherry-blossom</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/29/food/dine-with-a-backdrop-of-cherry-blossom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:10:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Robbie Swinnerton, Melinda Joe, John Ashburne,  and Kris Kosaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[cherry blossoms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hanami]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese cuisine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sakura]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=333058</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With an ephemeral canopy of pink sweeping Japan, the JT&#8217;s food writers know the perfect spots to dine with an eyeful of sakura (cherry blossom) — or just the right sake to sip as you picnic under the petals. Innsyoutei, Tokyo When it comes to blossom viewing, nowhere in Tokyo does it better or with [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/29/food/dine-with-a-backdrop-of-cherry-blossom/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top chefs explore international accents to sushi</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/19/food/top-chefs-explore-international-accents-to-sushi/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=top-chefs-explore-international-accents-to-sushi</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/19/food/top-chefs-explore-international-accents-to-sushi/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:05:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Georgiu Gavril]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jeff Ramsey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marek Hora]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pepi Anevski]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pontus Johanssen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sushi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Takeshi Matsumoto]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=323701</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On March 6, in a banquet room of the Hotel The Manhattan in Chiba a group of television camera crews surrounded American chef Jeff Ramsey as he carefully spooned a layer of black rice onto a slice of omelet. &#8220;The chef is using something black. What could it be?&#8221; a reporter whispered into her microphone, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/19/food/top-chefs-explore-international-accents-to-sushi/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Singapore&#8217;s taste for Japanese drinks</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/08/food/singapores-taste-for-japanese-drinks/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=singapores-taste-for-japanese-drinks</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/08/food/singapores-taste-for-japanese-drinks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:00:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japanese drinks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=214518</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On my recent trip to Singapore, Japanese drinks seemed to follow me everywhere. At Jigger &#38; Pony, a stylish new cocktail bar in an old part of Chinatown, the first thing I noticed was the selection of around 20 Suntory and Nikka whiskies that lined the backlit shelves, along with Coedo beer. Perhaps it was [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/08/food/singapores-taste-for-japanese-drinks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Whisky distillery plays a winning hand</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/02/08/food/whisky-distillery-plays-a-winning-hand/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=whisky-distillery-plays-a-winning-hand</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/02/08/food/whisky-distillery-plays-a-winning-hand/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:11:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Chichibu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese whisky]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=life&#038;p=134533</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Inside the visitors’ center at Chichibu Distillery, high in the hills of Saitama Prefecture, a hint of sawdust mingled with the aromas of vanilla, dried fruits and honey that filled the air. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/02/08/food/whisky-distillery-plays-a-winning-hand/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Looking to bring Japan&#8217;s tastes to new markets through sake</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/23/national/looking-to-bring-japans-tastes-to-new-markets-through-sake/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=looking-to-bring-japans-tastes-to-new-markets-through-sake</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/23/national/looking-to-bring-japans-tastes-to-new-markets-through-sake/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:06:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Davos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Davos Special]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sake]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=news&#038;p=80369</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As people across the globe toasted the New Year this month, Japan&#8217;s sake brewers had another reason to celebrate. The industry saw modest increases in sake sales, offering a glimmer of hope to producers who have watched consumption decline since the late 1970s. According to the Japanese Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS), shipments rose [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/23/national/looking-to-bring-japans-tastes-to-new-markets-through-sake/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Japan&#8217;s latest wine trend is only natural</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/01/11/food/japans-latest-wine-trend-is-only-natural/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=japans-latest-wine-trend-is-only-natural</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/01/11/food/japans-latest-wine-trend-is-only-natural/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s official: Natural wines are entering mainstream consciousness in Japan. I know this not simply because sections devoted to organic, &#8220;bio&#8221; (biodynamic), or shizen-ha (natural) wines have become fixtures in many retail shops, or even because sales of natural wines have risen around the world. The realization struck when a friend who rarely touches alcohol [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Sake-making mission: the last step</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/12/14/food/sake-making-mission-the-last-step/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sake-making-mission-the-last-step</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/12/14/food/sake-making-mission-the-last-step/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[The thermometer inside the brewing facility at Shimazaki Shuzo registered a chilly 8 degrees. Like everyone else who had signed up to take part in the final sake-making session of the Karasuyama Taiken (www.karasuyama-taiken.jp), I was dressed for work &#8212; in a thin white jacket that resembled a lab coat, white plastic boots and a [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Where Tokyo&#8217;s top chefs wine and dine</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/30/food/where-tokyos-top-chefs-wine-and-dine/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=where-tokyos-top-chefs-wine-and-dine</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/30/food/where-tokyos-top-chefs-wine-and-dine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/30/%life_category%/where-tokyos-top-chefs-wine-and-dine/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Chef Shinobu Namae rarely eats at the same restaurant twice. Like a lot of chefs, he spends most of his time in his own kitchen, overseeing lunch and dinner service at L&#8217;Effervescence, his Michelin-starred French restaurant in Tokyo&#8217;s Aoyama. When he does venture out, he chooses his destinations carefully. Many chefs see dining as an [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Japanese wine: not as bad as you think</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/09/food/japanese-wine-not-as-bad-as-you-think/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=japanese-wine-not-as-bad-as-you-think</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/09/food/japanese-wine-not-as-bad-as-you-think/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/11/09/%life_category%/japanese-wine-not-as-bad-as-you-think/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On the morning of Nov. 3, the line leading to the entrance of Hibiya Park snaked along the sidewalk and coiled around the corner, several meters from the gate. I was there for the Yamanashi Nouveau wine festival but had assumed that the throngs had come for some other purpose. It was a moment of [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Sake-making mission, part two: the harvest</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/food/sake-making-mission-part-two-the-harvest/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sake-making-mission-part-two-the-harvest</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/food/sake-making-mission-part-two-the-harvest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:01:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/%life_category%/sake-making-mission-part-two-the-harvest/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The instrument I was given to harvest sake rice was a small sickle, about 20 cm in length, with a thin, curved blade and a serrated edge. It was, essentially, the agricultural equivalent of a pair of children&#8217;s scissors: If used improperly, you could nick yourself badly but were unlikely to do great harm. However, [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Hunting for Tokyo&#8217;s real bagel heads</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/food/hunting-for-tokyos-real-bagel-heads/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=hunting-for-tokyos-real-bagel-heads</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/food/hunting-for-tokyos-real-bagel-heads/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:01:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[By now, everyone has likely heard of &#8212; and been baffled by &#8212; the recent &#8220;bagel head&#8221; phenomenon. Last month, a video clip that showed three people in Tokyo undergoing a beauty treatment that involved saline injections into their foreheads went viral on the Internet. The clip, taken from the program &#8220;National Geographic Taboo,&#8221; sparked [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/10/12/food/hunting-for-tokyos-real-bagel-heads/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>It&#8217;s not all about the mid-life crisis</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/25/lifestyle/its-not-all-about-the-mid-life-crisis/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=its-not-all-about-the-mid-life-crisis</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/25/lifestyle/its-not-all-about-the-mid-life-crisis/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:01:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/25/%life_category%/its-not-all-about-the-mid-life-crisis/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Finding the solution to a difficult problem lies in asking the right questions. On the afternoon of Sept. 1, in a stylish office building in Aoyama, a gathering of Japanese life coaches practiced this Socratic skill in groups of four. It was a role-playing exercise, in which one person played the role of a client [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/25/lifestyle/its-not-all-about-the-mid-life-crisis/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Sake tastings mark the arrival of fall</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/21/food/sake-tastings-mark-the-arrival-of-fall/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sake-tastings-mark-the-arrival-of-fall</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/21/food/sake-tastings-mark-the-arrival-of-fall/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[nihonshu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sake]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/21/%life_category%/sake-tastings-mark-the-arrival-of-fall/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sake lovers eagerly await the coming of autumn, when spring&#8217;s brash young brews begin to mellow and develop complexity. Unsurprisingly, this season is prime time for tastings, and October means sake events all over Japan. The wave of festivities kicks off on Oct. 1, or Nihonshu no Hi (Sake Day). First celebrated in 1978, this [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Sake brewers turn their hand to beer</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/14/food/sake-brewers-turn-their-hand-to-beer/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sake-brewers-turn-their-hand-to-beer</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/14/food/sake-brewers-turn-their-hand-to-beer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/14/%life_category%/sake-brewers-turn-their-hand-to-beer/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Taro Ishikawa, president of Ishikawa Shuzo in Fussa City, Tokyo, knows a thing or two about brewing beer. This comes as no surprise: In addition to producing Tamajiman sake, his company has been making Japanese jib&#299;ru (craft beer) for 14 years. The Ishikawa family&#8217;s history of beer brewing, however, goes back to 1887, when the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/09/14/food/sake-brewers-turn-their-hand-to-beer/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Developing a taste for sake cocktails</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/08/10/food/developing-a-taste-for-sake-cocktails/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=developing-a-taste-for-sake-cocktails</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/08/10/food/developing-a-taste-for-sake-cocktails/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/08/10/%life_category%/developing-a-taste-for-sake-cocktails/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Despite its funny-sounding name, the Sakenic is a compelling tipple. A fizzy mix of sake, soda and tonic water with an orange twist, it is light and refreshing, with a balance of sweetness and acidity that brings to mind a gin and tonic with less of a bite. The drink is one of the most [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/08/10/food/developing-a-taste-for-sake-cocktails/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sake production, literally from the ground up</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/07/13/food/sake-production-literally-from-the-ground-up/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sake-production-literally-from-the-ground-up</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/07/13/food/sake-production-literally-from-the-ground-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:01:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/07/13/%life_category%/sake-production-literally-from-the-ground-up/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Planting rice is no easy task. It requires patience, sturdy legs and, preferably, a change of clothes. I had, however, neglected to make note of this final detail before embarking on the Karasuyama Taiken (www.karasuyama-taiken.jp) rice-planting excursion, organized by Shimazaki Shuzo sake brewery, in Tochigi Prefecture. Soon, I found myself knee-deep in mud, praying that [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/07/13/food/sake-production-literally-from-the-ground-up/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Wine Challenge brings sake contest to Japan</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/06/08/food/wine-challenge-brings-sake-contest-to-japan/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=wine-challenge-brings-sake-contest-to-japan</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/06/08/food/wine-challenge-brings-sake-contest-to-japan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/06/08/%life_category%/wine-challenge-brings-sake-contest-to-japan/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[At 9 a.m. on the morning of May 28, the 40 judges who had been invited to arbitrate in the 2012 International Wine Challenge sake competition convened in the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association building in Tokyo&#8217;s Shinbashi district. Conversations in English and Japanese floated around the room as the judges &#8212; who represented [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/06/08/food/wine-challenge-brings-sake-contest-to-japan/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How I learned to stop worrying and love the shochu</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/food/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-shochu/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-shochu</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/food/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-shochu/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 00:01:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Nearly 10 years ago, sh&#333;ch&#363; was all the rage in Japan. In 2004, shipments reached an all-time high, and producers were struggling to keep up with the exploding market. Everyone was drinking it &#8212; everyone, it seems, but me. I vaguely recall my first experience with sh&#333;ch&#363;, in 2007. Sh&#333;ch&#363; had a reputation as a [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mandarin Oriental stands by Japan produce</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/food/mandarin-oriental-stands-by-japan-produce/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=mandarin-oriental-stands-by-japan-produce</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/food/mandarin-oriental-stands-by-japan-produce/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/%life_category%/mandarin-oriental-stands-by-japan-produce/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every day, crates from Japan filled with still-wriggling live fish, coral-colored lobes of uni (sea urchin) and seafood fastidiously wrapped in paper smeared with wasabi (to discourage bacteria) arrive at the Michelin-starred French restaurant Amber at Hong Kong&#8217;s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Executive chef Richard Ekkebus carefully inspects this precious cargo before using the fish, along [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/11/food/mandarin-oriental-stands-by-japan-produce/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Do girls just wanna have weaker sake?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/04/13/food/do-girls-just-wanna-have-weaker-sake/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=do-girls-just-wanna-have-weaker-sake</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/04/13/food/do-girls-just-wanna-have-weaker-sake/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:01:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/04/13/%life_category%/do-girls-just-wanna-have-weaker-sake/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When it comes to sake, I consider myself something of a traditionalist. If anything, my tastes veer toward the masculine: I tend to favor ricey, muscular styles like kimoto and yamahai over a delicate daiginj&#333;. Funny, then, that I should find myself enjoying a girly new sake at March&#8217;s FoodEx exhibition in Tokyo. The sake, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/04/13/food/do-girls-just-wanna-have-weaker-sake/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tohoku&#8217;s sake breweries one year on</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/03/09/food/tohokus-sake-breweries-one-year-on/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=tohokus-sake-breweries-one-year-on</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/03/09/food/tohokus-sake-breweries-one-year-on/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melinda Joe</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/03/09/%life_category%/tohokus-sake-breweries-one-year-on/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The narrow, winding road that leads to Senkin Shuzo, a small sake brewery in the tiny town of Iwaizumi, Iwate Prefecture, is icy and treacherous. The train lines that used to connect Iwaizumi to Morioka, the nearest major city, were closed after landslides dislodged the tracks last summer. Yuri Yaegashi, whose husband, Giichiro Yaegashi, is [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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